Luke 23:32-46
Only Luke records both 'Father, forgive them' and the promise to the criminal beside him.
32And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. 33And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. 34Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. 35And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. 36And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, 37And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. 38And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. 44And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. 46And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
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What the labels mean
- ScriptureThe King James Version, public domain, quoted exactly. Never edited, never paraphrased.
- Context / MeaningEditorial background and plain-language explanation written for this app.
- Modern interpretationPsychology, behaviour or science, shown only when it genuinely helps. Never proof of a theological claim.
- ReflectiveSymbolic and personal readings. Ways of thinking with the text, not what the author meant.
- PracticeSomething realistic you might do. An invitation you choose, not a command from God.
Written study
A curated study written for these verses: context, meaning, connections, reflection, alignment and practice.
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The short version
- What is happening
- The crucifixion told through voices: mockers, a criminal who joins them, a criminal who does not, and Jesus.
- Why it matters here
- Two criminals are led out with Jesus and crucified with him.
- One key idea
- Only Luke records both 'Father, forgive them' and the promise to the criminal beside him.
- One connection
- Jesus of Nazareth — Person
Who have I decided has left it too late?
A summary of what follows. Editorial, not Scripture.
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Adds short explanations of the names, places and words in these verses, right where they come up.
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What would you like to understand?
Answers are drawn from what is written for Luke 23:32-46, the people and places named in it, and this book's background. No AI service is connected in this build, so nothing here is machine-generated.
UnderstandWhat is happening herePlain language, faithful to the setting — plus who wrote it and why.
Two criminals are led out with Jesus and crucified with him. He says, 'Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.' Rulers, soldiers and one of the criminals mock him. The other rebukes his companion, admits their own guilt, and asks to be remembered when Jesus comes into his kingdom; Jesus answers that today he will be with him in paradise. Darkness falls, the temple veil is torn, and Jesus cries, 'Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit,' and dies.
Who wrote this, to whom, and why
Editorial background written for this app. Not Scripture.
New to this? What “context” means here
Every part of the Bible was written by someone, for someone, in a particular time and place. Knowing who wrote it, who first read it and what came just before and after usually settles most questions about what it means.
Where we are not sure, we say so. “Traditional” means a long-standing attribution; “debated” means scholars genuinely disagree.
- Author
- Traditionally Luke, a companion of Paul; the Gospel is formally anonymous (traditional)
- Audience
- Readers of a Gospel that has emphasised mercy toward outsiders from its first chapters.
- Literary setting
- The crucifixion told through voices: mockers, a criminal who joins them, a criminal who does not, and Jesus.
- Surrounding argument
- Luke has shown Jesus repeatedly welcoming those written off. The scene at the cross is the last and sharpest instance.
- Historical background
- Crucifixion between two condemned men, with a written charge above, matches known Roman practice.
What remains uncertain
The words 'Father, forgive them' are absent from some early manuscripts, and their originality is debated. Luke's final cry differs from Matthew's and Mark's; the Gospels report different words, and this app does not merge them.
References
- Luke 23:32–46
- Psalm 31:5 — Quoted in the final cry.
ConnectWho and what this connects to3 people, places and ideas named in these verses — and where you are in the story.
Tap any of these to see who or what it is, why it matters here, and where else it appears in our library. Editorial material, not Scripture.
- PersonJesus of NazarethThe teacher from Nazareth who walked toward Jerusalem and defined greatness as service.Know the Bible
- PlaceJerusalemThe hill city where kingship, temple and the cross all converge.Know the Bible
- EventJesus' final days in JerusalemThe week the servant teaching became the thing he actually did.Know the Bible
AnglesSee it from a few anglesBiblical, human and — clearly marked — reflective readings, converging on one life.
These are ways of seeing, not competing theories to collect. They are editorial interpretation rather than Scripture, and they are here to meet in the alignment step below.
Biblical
What this contributes within Scripture
The criminal asks only to be remembered. The answer he receives is larger than his request — and no time remains for him to prove anything.
Human pattern
Common human tendencies at work
Mockery comes from three directions in this scene. Luke shows how easily a crowd converges on a target.
ReflectWhat this brings up for youOpen questions that assume nothing about your situation. Answers stay on this device.
Who have I decided has left it too late?
Is there a forgiveness I have been treating as impossible rather than costly?
What needs to come into alignment?
What would it change to believe that being remembered is enough to ask for?
- Notice
- Understand
- Choose
- Practise
Alignment is coherence between what you understand, believe, choose and do. It is not a score, and no one is measuring you. Anything suggested here is a possibility to weigh, never a command from God to you personally.
In your own words, what does this passage say?
In yourself, honestly, as you read it.
What you actually hold to be true here.
Your real behaviour, not your intentions.
Between what you believe and what you do.
Your own discernment — this app will not tell you what God requires of you.
One concrete action for the next 24 hours. Small and specific beats ambitious and vague.
Release one grudge one step
Pick one resentment and take a single step down: stop rehearsing the story of it for one day. Forgiveness is not required of you here; only a pause.
Next 24 hours
RememberWhat to carry forwardOne takeaway, one memory hook, and anything you want to keep.
Build my understanding
Remember this much
- Who / what
- Luke 23:32-46 — Gospel in Luke
- Where
- Luke · The life of Jesus
- What happened
- The crucifixion told through voices: mockers, a criminal who joins them, a criminal who does not, and Jesus.
- Why it matters
- Two criminals are led out with Jesus and crucified with him.
- Key idea
- Only Luke records both 'Father, forgive them' and the promise to the criminal beside him.
“What would it change to believe that being remembered is enough to ask for?”
Optional, in your own words. Private to this device.
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Community perspective
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Translation
And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
Prefer to read the surrounding chapter? Open Luke 23.